A Fable, Darkly
by StarLion
Summary: What happened to Dark Link after being defeated, and where did he go? A new life, and a new purpose come to him afterwards, catching him up in a chain of events - whether he wants to be or not.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

Yes, I do have a bad habit of starting stories when I've got others to finish. It gives me something to do between getting writers block on the others.  
This (currently) little story has been marinating in ideas for some time, has been re-written four times, and beaten with a cleaver even more times.  
Now, I'm finally satisfied with the first chapter enough to let you all have a read.  
Most of it should explain itself, even if it does seem a little ambiguous at first, so I won't spoil anything here.

* * *

Darkness.

Emptiness.

Nothingness.

Silence.

Alone.

There was nothing there at all. Just me. And I wasn't even really there. It was more just my thoughts.

It'd been this way for a while. Ever since I was beaten by that brat in green.

I could have been so much more, if I'd been the one doing the beating.

Instead, I was stuck there. And there is nowhere. It's nothing. Just endless nothing.

I don't even know why I was put there.

It's not how I pictured death. I hadn't expected to die anyway.

Then something happened that changed everything.

There was a voice, and not my own.

"You are dead."

Duh. No kidding.

"You are dead, and without form or purpose, denied existence."

Did this guy have to state the obvious?

"You are dead because you tried to stop the Hero of Time."

He deserved it. Well, would have, if I'd gotten him.

"You are dead... but it appears there is a need for you."

"Oh, really?" My voice. I hadn't heard it for... however long I'd been there.

"You are dead, and thus you are freed from the constraints of time and space."

"You don't need to keep repeating that I'm dead. I kinda know that already."

"There is a need for someone who can handle a sword. Someone worthy of the title of Hero."

"Go look at my do-gooder self who killed me then."

"You are that Hero. He cannot leave. He is not dead. You are."

"So, you're turning to me?"

"You are required."

"What's in it for me?"

"Life."

I couldn't argue with that. Better than no life.

"And what do you want done? Come to think of it, just who are you?"

"No one. You are required to eliminate a threat."

"Do you ever give straight answers, or are you just this retarded by nature?"

"The nature of the threat will become apparent shortly after your arrival."

"I'm guessing it's the retarded option then."

"You will be forced to make hard choices between what is good, and what is not."

"No contest. Evil always works better for me."

"You may have no choice."

"So I have a choice that I don't have? Man, you're more stupid than I thought. That doesn't even make sense."

"It will become clear in time."

"Well if this place is beyond time, I don't care. You want my help, you'll have to convince me it's worth it, beyond just being alive again. I could take up your offer and then ignore what you want done."

"An evil rises in the lands you will go to that plans to steal a sword of great power, and use it to dominate."

"Sounds like my kind of person. Maybe I should offer to work with him."

"He is not interested in sharing. He is interested only in power."

"Too bad. Your offer still isn't looking interesting."

"It may be possible for you to acquire the sword for yourself in defeating him."

"What's so special about it?"

"It is the Sword of Aeons. It's wielder gains the benefits of powerful magic that, if properly used, render the wielder unstoppable."

"I'd have to work for it though, wouldn't I?"

"Correct."

A straight answer. Finally. This idea was looking more appetising now.

"Tell me the rest of the details then."

"You will take the name of Adam, though that may be changed when you graduate from the Hero's Guild. Your life will begin fresh from a new beginning. You will have access to your current memories and abilities, though you should not show them."

"You mean I gotta go through growing up, again?"

"It is a requirement of giving you life again."

I didn't like that, but a few more years couldn't hurt.

"So, all I got to do is join the Hero's Guild?"

"You do not need to. There will be an event in which you are given placement."

"Alright, so I get into the guild, graduate..."

"Pay heed to he guildmaster's words, for they will take you through the quests to reach the evil. Though your path is still your own, you will face it eventually. Do we have your cooperation?"

"Sure, what the hell. It's not like I don't have anything better to do around here."

I'm not sure if that was a mistake or not.

* * *

Seven years later, in Oakvale, I was a terror of a kid. It was deliberate.

Oakvale was a quiet village, and it was what became my home. Through the north gate lay Barrow Fields, where my new big sister, Theresa, use to play often. Heading south into the village from there, there lay a Cullis Gate – A means of getting around quickly for graduates of the Hero's Guild – and two paths, one up the hill, and one through into the village.

The one up the hill led to a wooden bridge that crossed over the main thoroughfare, to some cottages, among them my own home. That path curved down the hill to the Inn, the same as the main thoroughfare, which also had a couple of cottages and stores along the way.  
Also at the top of the hill lay another route that lead down the other side of the hill. That path had more houses on, and a trail leading to the memorial garden. A fancy name for the graveyard.

Finally, just behind the Inn, to the east lay the storehouses, and to the west was the beach. There's a cave on that beach that leads to a pass owned by bandits, but they generally didn't bother us. Traders sometimes made their way in, and came back again. Sometimes they didn't come back, but then, they were dealing with bandits.

Theresa and I weren't the only kids in the village by a long way. There was the girl next door, who continually lost her doll she'd named Rosie. The fact she usually forgot giving it to her brother didn't help, and it was further worsened by his being a total wimp, meaning that the village bully – well, alright, _other_ bully, since I was a bully too, and often bulled him – often stole it.

Though I still resented being made to grow up again, I made the best of it by keeping my hostile act up to anyone I didn't like, which was everyone not in my family, and the kids next door. They got off free from me because of the other bully.

Then one day – Theresa's birthday, actually – everything changed.  
It started fairly normally, with me dozing on the doorstep. I wasn't going to put in work if I didn't have to. I was still waiting for the event I was told would get me into the Hero's Guild.

Dad woke me up though.

"Hey, Adam!" his voice came to me. "You're sleeping again."

I roused myself, and treated him to an annoyed look.

"Don't think that cuts any weight with me, young man. You've forgotten what day it is again, haven't you?"

I thought, and drew a blank. I didn't really try, anyway. Dad would tell me.

"It's your sister's birthday, and you don't have a present again. I'm not bailing you out this time."

"Some birthday for her if I don't have enough to get anything," I muttered.

"That's your own fault. I'll give you a gold piece for each good deed you do. Foreign concept to you, I know, but still. There's a trader still outside the Inn, you can get something from him. Now get moving. You don't want your sister to find out you forgot, do you?"

I grunted a reply, and lazily hauled myself to my feet, heading down the hill toward the tavern.

Along the way, the girl next door – I'm terrible with names that far back, so bear with me – she told me she'd lost her doll yet again.

Knowing her, she'd given it to her brother again, and knowing him... you see where it's going.

I turned right around, and went across the wooden bridge, finding, yes, the other bully and her brother. Her brother noticed me, but said nothing – he'd always tried to avoid me in case I picked on him next.

The bully had his back to me though, so didn't hear me come up behind him and grab his head, which was subsequently smashed into a nearby rock. He gave up the doll almost immediately. I was the only one who ever bullied him, with good reason – I was stronger than him.

The kid took the doll, thanked me nervously, and ran off himself. What do you know, I'd done a good deed. Sort of.

Next I went down to the warehouses. I had been planning to sneak in and nick something from them, I'd done that before, and closed up the crates so no one would know until afterwards. People suspected me, but you can't prove it if there's no evidence.

I would have done that again, except it was clear the poor watchman wanted a quick break, so I let him go off, then poked around in one of the crates. Of all the things

I could have found there, I discovered a small pouch of gold. Who said there's no money to be made in thievery?

The bag would have been obvious, so I stowed it in a fold of the oversized tunic I wore. It had plenty of hidden pockets I'd added inside those folds.

I almost felt sorry for the watchman when he came back to find me leaning against a post, and not suspecting a thing, but then he had just paid for Theresa's present, with plenty left over for a decent profit, so why worry? So I'm immoral. Did you think getting killed was going to change that?

The trader was going to be next, but I overheard a woman outside the general store fuming to herself, and decided to investigate. I had a feeling I knew what it was.

She glanced up at my shadow. "Oh, it's you Adam. Have you seen my husband by any chance? Hasn't been home all day, and he's meant to be helping!"

"I'll keep a lookout for him, and let you know if I hear anything."

She didn't reply. Well, I did have a bit of a reputation for being unreliable, but that was because they never made things worth my time.

I knew exactly where he was – up behind the house two down from my own, and as usual, making out with another woman. They were so busy, they didn't notice me come up and lean on a fence.

I cleared my throat and pulled on an amused smirk as he turned around, mortified.

"Adam! Uh, I'm not, uh, I mean, uh..." he stammered.

"Your wife's looking for ya, you know," I told him, still smirking. "She'd _love_ to know about this." Amused sarcasm practically dripped from every word.

"You can't tell her!" he blurted. "She'd kill me!"

"Oh, I don't know... didn't you say the same thing the last time someone caught you? This is, what, the fourth time this week already?"

"Adam, please! Don't tell her!"

"What's in it for me?"

Irritation flashed across his face briefly, then he pulled out ten gold pieces, and handed them to me.

"Don't tell her!" he repeated.

"Oh, alright. I guess I can forget... for now."

They were back pawing each other before I'd gotten out of sight.

Naturally I had no intention of staying silent, and told his wife. She was furious.

"Thank you, young sir," she said to me, with a faint hint of the scathing tone she planned to use on him. "Just wait 'till I get my hands on him!" she half shouted, running up toward where they were. I quickly stopped by the trader outside the inn before her husband found out what I'd done, and for just seven gold (skinflint – it was normally five) I bought a box of chocolates. I've never liked them myself, but Theresa... well, keeping her happy kept her from telling Dad about some of the other things I got up to. He wouldn't have liked them anyway.

Theresa, of course, was in the fields not far from the northern entrance. Not in the Barrow Fields themselves, but just inside. The fields there lay empty – had done for as long as I could remember.

Strangely, Theresa seemed to take everything I did in stride. It never bothered her in the slightest that no one else trusted me, and few had any liking for me.

"I knew you were coming little brother," she said while I jumped the fence. It always creeped me out that she seemed to know things before anyone else did. I handed her the box of chocolates without a word.

"Just as I thought," she continued, glancing at them. "I had a dream last night, exactly like this."

"Coincidence," I replied. I didn't say much around her if I could help it, she always found a way to turn mystical on me.

"Maybe, but-"

A scream cut her off. We both turned toward Barrow Fields to see a man running into town, clearly terrified. Moments later, his back sprouted an arrow, and he collapsed to the ground, dead or dying.

Bandits, of course. There were plenty of bandit clans out there, the Hero's Guild often got called to suppress them. We even saw a few Heroes in Oakvale once in a while.

I had stolen some light weapons and hidden them in the field. Some old swords, I think there might have even been a spear there too. Never could tell when I might need one, and I liked to keep in practice. It gave me something to do when there was no one to push around, and no trouble to cause.

Theresa stopped me as a reached for one.

"No! You mustn't get involved in this Adam. Hide, quickly!"

"And leave you here for them to see?"

"I'll be safe – I know what's going to happen, I dreamt it! You must hide Adam, it's very important."

I didn't like it, but she had a stubborn streak in her, and I could hear the bandits heading closer to the village, so I did as she asked. I grabbed a long dagger from the ground along the way to a large bush. I _wasn't_ going to stay unarmed when there was a fight going on, hidden or not. I still retained most of the skills I'd had when I matched against Link, although until I grew up a bit more, I was going to have trouble with them. There was no way I was lifting any sword like the one I'd had back then.

I've no idea how long I stayed hidden in that bush. I could hear a lot of screaming, and fires breaking out. The guards who tried to keep order were probably outnumbered – I'd seen a lot of bandits come storming in.

When it all eventually started to die down, night had fallen.

I picked my way out, looking for Theresa – I wanted to make sure she'd kept her promise.

Along the way, I picked over the various bodies. Most of them didn't have much on them, but some had some gold on them. Alright, so it's a disgusting thing to do, but picking pockets of dead people is a lot easier than living ones. I was young, and corrupt. What do you expect of me?

Theresa was nowhere to be found though. I did find my own father laying dead right outside our own home. I might have feigned a dislike for him, but he _was_ my father, and I felt irrationally angry at the bandit that had seen fit to cut him up.

There was a cry behind me, a warlike cry rather than a cry for help. I got up, turning sharply to see a bandit running toward me.

He was a lot bigger than me, but my small size lent itself to being quicker and able to dodge better. I doubt he was expecting to find an experienced swordsman in a seven year old.

I blocked his first strikes, then disarmed him by cutting into one hand. I couldn't quite reach enough to do any real damage though.

Then something odd happened. A bolt of lightning shot over my head, into the bandit, killing him.

"Are you alright boy?" a deep voice asked from behind. I wish people wouldn't come up behind unannounced – it's always unnerved me.

This guy had long blue robes, white hair and glowing blue-white marks on his face. I decided there and then I didn't like him. I turned out to be right on that score, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

"I was doing just fine until you robbed me of revenge," I retorted, glancing meaningfully at my father.

"Don't be silly," he snapped. "You might have some skill, but you're no match for a grown man."

He and I got off on the wrong foot almost immediately. I didn't dignify his comment with a response and stalked away.

"Where do you think you're going?" the stranger called after me, following. "You've nothing left here, and no doubt there'll be more bandits along before long."

"Let them come," I told him harshly. I had no idea what I was looking for either, actually, but I wasn't going to admit it to him.

"If it's revenge you want, you'll need what only I can offer you."

"Oh, really? What makes your offer so special?"

"I can get you into the Hero's Guild. I'm Maze, head of the Guild."

"What do I have to do?"

"Merely come with me. And put that knife down, you'll get a proper weapon if you do well at the Guild."

"What do you get out of it?"

"Do I need a reason to look for people worthy of joining the Guild? What's your name, boy?"

"Adam. And don't call me boy."

"Alright then Adam, drop that weapon and take my hand. I'll take you to the Guild."

I trusted him enough with that, against better judgement, and let him do whatever it was he was going to. He pulled an odd talisman out of a pocket. It glowed blue, then everything around blurred into that same blue. I felt a kind of wrenching feeling, as if being pulled a long way, then when my view cleared, I was somewhere else.

There was a massive imposing wall not far ahead of me, with equally imposing double doors set into them. Behind was a castle-like structure, and in front was a raised platform off beside the path we were on that led to the doors.

Maze went on ahead to the doors of the Guild – or at least I assumed it was the Guild.

"Come on, boy, the Guildmaster is waiting."

"I told you to stop calling me that," I told him, joining him. He gave me a curious look, but said nothing, opening the doors and guiding me in.

Inside was a pair of staircases going around the outside of the room to an upstairs landing. At the bottom of each were small rooms, one had a Cullis gate in, the other something I didn't recognise. In the centre of the room as a large table with a map on it. Unlike normal maps, the mountains and forests actually rose out of the map, as if it was a miniature of the real world. Symbols hung above it, semitransparent and in either bronze, silver or gold colour. To one side of this table stood a man I assumed was the Guildmaster.

He was shorter than Maze, and was bald. His robes were also in blue, and showed him to be considerable smaller and thinner than Maze. He wasn't too much taller than me, actually.

"I have a new member for you," Maze told him. "He's the one I told you about this morning."

"Well, you don't look like much," the Guildmaster said, looking me over. He had a gentle tone in his voice. "But I suppose Maze knows what he's doing."

"You don't look like anything special either," I told him in a critical tone.

"I'll leave him in your care," Maze said to the Guildmaster, then turned to me. "Don't be unkind to him, Adam. He's the one who'll take care of your learning here, and the tests afterwards."

That was hardly reason to start being nice to people, I reasoned as he left.

The Guildmaster gave a faint smile at Maze's words, then beckoned to me as he started up one of the large staircases."Come on. Follow me, and I'll take you to your room here. You'll be sharing a room with Whisper, one of our brightest and sharpest young students."

"Oh, joy," I muttered sarcastically, but he made no reply.


	2. Chapter 2

During the days that followed, I learned a lot about the guild, and strangely, didn't steal anything.

Downstairs was the library, the guild shop, the kitchens and the communal dining area. Upstairs were the rooms for the apprentices such as myself. Maze had his quarters in a tower along the eastern wall of the guild.

Then were was the grounds outside. Between the store and Maze's quarters was a memorial garden for renowned heroes of the guild, whether they'd been good or evil – I learned that the guild didn't discriminate against the Heroes it turned out for being either, and provided for both equally.

On the northern side of the grounds were the training areas – the archery range, sword pit and magic range. I didn't expect to be much good with magic, not after seeing some apprentices using lightning or fire on the straw dummies they were using as targets. Behind there, was the guild's woods.

I didn't meet Whisper until several days after my arrival. She was a bit taller than me, and had darker skin. She called me farm boy often, but otherwise kept mostly to herself. That is, except to make sure I actually got up in the morning.

"Come on! Get up, farm boy," she half-shouted at me, as I pulled myself out of bed sleepily. "Are you always this slow in the mornings?" she asked. I just shrugged, dressing. "The Guildmaster wanted you down at the sword pit over an hour ago!"

"Oh."

"You'd better get moving, farm boy. You're late enough as it is."

"Whatever," I yawned back.

I didn't hurry. I was late already, a few more minutes wouldn't make much difference.

The Guildmaster remained kind and gentle, of course.

"I see you finally got up," was all he said. He opened the gate into the sword pit, which was only really a small area walled off, and gestured to enter. Inside was one of the straw dummies. "I want you to hit that as hard as you can. Keep on going until I tell you to stop."

It seemed completely pointless, but there wasn't anything else to do, and it'd at least give me something to beat up.

The dummy seemed to just spring back from every blow I landed on it, not doing much. I was stronger than most other kids in Oakvale had been, but not that strong.

"You don't seem to be doing much to it," he remarked. "Here. Take this stick, and try again."

I guess I wasn't going to be trusted with a real weapon just yet. With the stick though, I managed to at least damage the dummy a bit before knocking it over.

"Much better, boy."

"Adam!" I snapped at him. "I've got a name, does no one know how to use it?"

"Easy there." He snapped his fingers, and the straw dummy was back up again. "Take out that anger on the dummy, and see if you can't do better than last time."

I didn't bother to reply, attacking the straw dummy again and knocking it down in just two blows.

"Happy now?"

"You've got some strength there, and a sharp temper. Not bad at all. I think that'll do for now. You're a little small to be using a bow, and too young for magic just yet.

Maybe you can make yourself useful to others around the guild, or study in the library for when you're old enough to continue your training."

Study? Me? Like hell was I going to do. Make myself useful? Well, it would earn me money. Since no one here held me in suspicion of every crime, I'd have plenty of opportunities to look into that while I did so.

That was pretty much all I did for the next few years, actually. I did steal a bit, but I kept it quiet. My original thought that I'd be able to get off easier was wrong, because I was new they automatically suspected me.

When the Guildmaster turned to my training with real weapons, he was startled to find a skilled swordsman in me, and a fair archer too. We had an argument over magic, or 'Will' as he preferred to call it.

"I don't see the point to it. I have a sword and a bow, what more do I need?"

"The world has more than enough swordsman and archers, boy," he told me. "Anyone can take them up and learn them, but the Hero's use of Will is what sets us apart and above them. You must show mastery over Will as well if you wish to graduate."

With that ultimatum delivered, I had no choice. I was hardly a gifted pupil, but I picked up the simple lightning spell. It was good for a little amusement in a pinch. I'd hide in a bush, wait until other apprentices passed and give them a short sharp shock. Maze rather bluntly told me to pack it in after I caught him, or he'd teach me a lesson I wouldn't soon forget.

When I finally hit my sixteenth birthday, I had a bit of deja vu. Whisper waking me up and telling me the Guildmaster wanted me on the far side of the river again, where the melee training would take place.

"Late again, Adam," he said disapprovingly, seeming to have finally learned to use my name. I was forever getting in trouble for snapping on people who didn't use it.

"So what?"

"On your own head be it... in the ring, both of you," he told us. "You'll be going through a real melee test against each other."

"Okay, farm-boy," Whisper said. "Let's see what you've got!"

"Not so fast," the Guildmaster warned as Whisper drew out a long spear, taller than she was. "You'll do it the way I tell you. You'll practice blocking first Whisper, and Adam you see how many times you can break through that. Don't worry about harming each other. The Guild's native magic will keep you safe." He was wrong on that score, but Whisper didn't know about that, and even I didn't know until much later.

I drew the heavy iron sword he'd reluctantly given me, and made some show of feeling out her defences. The spear gave her reach enough to block most blows any apprentice would have known, but I was more skilled than that. A feint high left her open low, and the reverse worked too. It was just too easy.

"I think that's enough," the Guildmaster stopped me after several blows. "Clearly you should be the one blocking, Adam. Now it's Whisper's turn to attack."

Whisper stooped into a kind of half crouch, holding the spear in both hands now. She jabbed forward, and I rolled aside, prompting the Guildmaster to remind me I had to block instead. Spoilsport.

I settled for deflecting her strikes more than blocking, sending them flying wide of me. She did score one glancing blow on me, just above one hip. I almost retaliated, but decided to save it for later. That turned out to be useful.

When the Guildmaster stopped us again, a giant hulking guy with dark skin similar to Whisper's, and yellow armour with many scratches on had joined us.

"Ah, Thunder," the Guildmaster greeted him. "Back from the Arena?"

"It was easy. You should have been there," he said to Whisper. "Now, what's this I hear about some farm-boy you've got her pitted against?"

"Adam, one of our wayward apprentices. He has a few issues with his personality-" I snorted. Problems. I was just fine the way I was. "But he's skilled. We're just about to test them together now."

"You can beat any old farm-boy, Whisper. Show me what you can do."

"Don't think I'll go easy on you because you're a girl," I warned her.

She answered with swift stab at me, but her aim was bad and I struck home easily. The Guildmaster had set us loose on each other without any limits this time. I didn't give her a chance to strike back, making her block where she could, retreat when she couldn't and losing terribly to me.

It wasn't really a fair fight. I didn't want it to be.

Finally, the Guildmaster called us off again.

"That's enough!" he snapped sharply, not seeming to be as gentle as he looked. "I think we can see the outcome of this."

"That was all wrong, Whisper!" Thunder accused. "Come with me, and I'll show you how it's meant to be done. And you!" he turned to me. "If I ever come up against you-"

"I said enough! This isn't the time for threats!"

Whisper and I didn't talk to each other much after that. She and I built up more of a rivalry out of it, and during the time before our final tests, we spent a lot of time in the Guild's woods testing each other. She only ever came out on top when she surprised me with a few Will techniques I didn't know.

It wasn't long after that day when I was finally called for my final test, also in the Guild woods. The Guildmaster met me just outside to tell me about it.

"I expect you're wondering what the final test is, eh? You'll find out in the woods. Go to the log at the top of the hill. The rest is up to you."

Hardly what you'd call helpful.

Once I was out of his sight, I pulled out the bow. I didn't like to fight at range, but it was better than letting opponents get up close. There turned out to be no need, as Maze waited for me at the log.

"You finally made it, I see."

"Just get on with it. What do I have to do?"

"Quite simple. Defeat me, using all that you've learned during your time here – and all three disciplines, don't forget. Now, put that bow away and get your sword out. Hit me – if you can."

I still held Maze responsible for robbing me of vengeance back in Oakvale, so probably overdid things a bit. He didn't seem to care too much about getting hit, let alone being shot full of arrows when he told me to use them instead. He did comment at some length on my lack of skill with Will, but stopped after I threw a fireball at him. I'd picked it up off one of the other Apprentices. It was slightly more difficult to cast, but it took him off-guard. He'd been expecting lightning.

"I think that's enough," he told me, picking himself up and brushing himself off. "I see I was right to bring you here. You've picked up more than enough to prove yourself."

"So that's it? I'm a Hero now?"

"Not so fast. You still have to receive your Guild seal in the Chamber of Fate."

That ceremony was reputed to be impressive, but I didn't see much in it. Maze and Thunder stood behind the Guildmaster trying to look important, while the Guildmaster went on about being a Hero, and the path ahead and other things. I didn't really pay much attention.

Whisper and I graduated at the same time, both receiving our seals in front of the remaining apprentices. I noticed a few resentful looks from those apprentices who had been here longer and still not graduated yet. Just to rub it in, I gave them a self-satisfied smirk.

So I'm nasty. Like I've said before, what do you expect of me? I wasn't even trying to be nice, and morals are pretty much a foreign concept to me.


	3. Chapter 3

With that out the way, I was a fully fledged, if completely unknown, Hero. The newly received Guild Seal permitted me the use of the Cullis Gates, and also offered a teleport to the Guild in a pinch.

I was allowed to keep the room I had as an apprentice, though Whisper moved out. Several other apprentices who'd been sharing a room were offered the spare bed in my room, but apparently once they discovered I was going to be their room mate, interest dropped off. Did they think I'd go after them or something?

True to a long standing tradition there, I took a number of other apprentices down to the guild's bar – I would have brought friends, or other graduates, but there weren't any of either – and paid for the first round of drinks. One of the few times I paid for anything. They paid for the rest, and sometime late that morning I staggered back into my bed. According to the Guildmaster, I was busy singing about how many drinks I'd had along the after keeping to those two traditions, I woke up with a massive hangover that I immediately cured with another drink and some apple pie. Don't ask me why, alright? Apple pies always seemed to help me through hangovers. I'm not going to question it.

With the world no longer trying to break my head with every sound, I collected my various savings and ill-gotten gains from my room, went to the map room, and picked the first Gold quest card.

The colour of those quest cards doesn't really mean too much. I learned that Bronze ones pay the least, and Gold ones had some of the better rewards, but not much else. Though, I have a suspicion that a lot of the Gold ones I picked up also 'happened' to be the ones that set me on the course the voice had told me about.

The quest card was nothing special. Giant wasp attack at the picnic area just outside Bowerstone, the town not far from the Guild. It wasn't even more than a few minutes walk from here.

They didn't bother to wait for me to get there before showing up though, with one flying after a man crying for help just as I turned up. A casual swing of the iron sword I still carried dispatched it without issue. I didn't even bother to see if the guy was alright.

The picnic area was swarming with more wasps though, and they weren't going to be so easy to deal with. I cheated though – I tore off some cloth from an abandoned picnic blanket, wrapped it round an arrow, then set it on fire with my fireball spell. With so many wasps around, aiming wasn't a problem. To make it even more effective, the fireball spell detonated when the arrow impacted, catching a lot of wasps in its blast.

Those that survived turned on me, but there weren't exactly a lot of them. Then the Wasp Queen showed up. Queen or not, she was still just a big bug, and it wasn't too hard to deal with her. I shot her full of arrows mostly, then when she got close I stabbed her, impaled the tip of the sword in the ground, then stomped on her until she stopped moving.

Then of course I went around and looted the area and the bodies of those picnickers that hadn't made it out safely. By the time the other turned up, I'd more than doubled my savings, and the reward they gave me only added to it. Maybe there was more profit in Heroing than I'd thought.

On the way back out, I got a surprise.

"Hero, Maze is looking for you," the Guildmaster's voice sounded. Evidently he could send messages to me through the Guild Seal. I'd heard of this, but passed it off as just a light tale to explain how all the Heroes knew when someone wanted them. "He asks you to meet him in Bowerstone."

How nice of him. He personally chose to give me placement in the Guild, but doesn't bother to turn up for the graduation ceremony, and now he just wanted to meet me.

The way the Guildmaster made it sound, you'd think he was going to offer tea and biscuits or something.

I didn't bother to reply, continuing on my way back up the crossroads that linked the picnic area, Bowerstone, the Guild and Greatwood. I'd learned a bit about Bowerstone from other Heroes that had passed through the Guild in my novitiate, and already decided I wasn't going to stick to the rules. Not if I had anything to say about it, at least.

The guards on the gate stopped me, of course.

"You've never come into Bowerstone before, have you?" one asked me.

"I'm about to change that, once you let me through," I replied.

"Bowerstone's a peaceful place. I'll have to confiscate your weapons."

I pulled out a small pouch I'd prepared in advance.

"What do you say you leave the weapons with me, and give you my word I won't use them on anyone?" I asked, bouncing it in one hand.

"We don't take bribes," the other guard began, but was quickly waved into silence by the first. He untied the drawstring, looking in at the coins inside.

"I believe you're a trustworthy fellow," he said. "We'll accept your word, Hero. Do keep within our laws anyway of course."

"Naturally," I answered with a false smile as he let me in. The coins I'd given him were gold – on top. Underneath the gold of the coins was a mix of metals that made it feel the right weight for a gold coin, but gave it practically no value in the slightest. I'd stolen them from another Hero, taking from one fool who didn't guard them, and now passed on to another unsuspecting fool.

Maze was not in Bowerstone, at least not that I could see from the entrance. I activated the Cullis Gate just inside, allowing me to return to that Gate whenever I wanted, then continued on in. An overheard conversation filled me in about a Lady Grey, the mayor of the town who lived in the north part of it – which was out of bounds unless one either lived or worked there, or had special permission. I fit none of these.

The smithy was the next stop. I replaced my basic iron sword and plain wood bow with much better weapons. With my spoils, reward and savings, I obtained an Obsidian longsword, and a sturdy crossbow. The arrows were traded in for crossbow bolts, of course – not that I needed to. The quiver the Hero's Guild had given me was one of those magic ones that never runs out of ammunition, and automatically switches to whatever bow I was using at the time. Of course, they're not normally given to apprentices or even Heroes, they're given out to Heroes who do something very nice for the Guild. Not something I was going to do, so naturally it was one of the many things I'd stolen during my time as an apprentice and quietly stashed away. Maze once searched my room for it, but never found it. I'm good at hiding things.

I would have picked up some armour as well, but the smith insisted I try to wear it first so I'd have an idea of the weight. Despite keeping in practice with my weapons, I wasn't quite up to strength enough to bear any heavy armour, and what else was on offer was hardly better than what I had, so for now I remained in the apprentice's outfit. I had noticed that it seemed slightly darker than those of other apprentices, but at this point I paid it little attention.

By this time, Maze had turned up outside the Inn, so I wandered up behind him. He was still looking toward the gate, expecting me to come from there.

"Looking for someone?" I asked him. He wasn't surprised.

"Oh. You're here already. With your weapons?"

"I had a little discussion with the guards about it. I'm trustworthy enough to be allowed to keep them."

"Interesting. But that's not why I asked you here. Word of your little bug-slaying exploit has already gotten round."

"You came here to tell me that? I should have skipped town and gone on to the Guild already."

"Don't be so impatient, Adam. Just hear me out. You'll find word travels quite quickly here in Albion, quicker than you might expect. Don't let it go to your head though."

"Me? As if!" I snorted.

"Sometimes I wonder," Maze murmured. "You already have a fair reputation within the Guild. I wouldn't be surprised to find you garner one outside just as quickly."

"Why should I care if people hear about me? I do whatever I want."

"Then how about replacing that basic equipment before you leave?"

"Way ahead of you, Maze," I answered, pulling my new sword slightly out of its scabbard on my back. "Obsidian and freshly forged just yesterday."

"And no doubt stolen."

"What do you take me for, a thief? I paid for this, fair and square!"

Maze appeared to give up after that, electing to disappear into the Cullis Gate. I guess he couldn't stand me for long.

There was one other thing I did while there though. I decided to explore a little, learn who lived where, what stocked what and such, where to steal from... as you do, of course. Along the way, I noticed a house up for sale. Two, in fact, right beside each other, just up beyond the schoolroom. Purchasing them both would temporarily drain pretty much every last coin I had on me, but that could easily be solved with a few night-time expeditions and quests. Plus I could rent the second one out to pick up a nice sum from my tenants as well.

So naturally I bought them off the guy selling them. He seemed a little surprised that I wanted both, but was more than happy to take my money. When I offered him a little more than the sale price he was asking for. Money can buy someone's curiosity to the point they practically hand it to you and don't want to know any more.

Once he'd gone off wherever, I examined my two new properties. The furniture in each got shifted around a bit, so I could have my pick of it in my one, and leave the rest for any tenants. They could make interior improvements on their own funds. One was put up for rent – only 1200 gold, payable nightly or at a discount for weekly payments, costing only 8000 instead of the normal 8400 gold that way. You'd think with that kind of rent, not many people would have wanted to take it, but I found a tenant almost immediately.

"So, you own this place do you farm boy?" Whisper asked just after I'd put up the sign giving the details of the rent. She'd snuck up on me so silently I almost jumped.

"Naturally," I answered. "All set and looking for a tenant. Terms are right there on the board."

"I guess even you have to make a living somehow. At least this is honest." Not at my prices it wasn't.

"Don't think for a moment I'm giving up being dishonest outside the town," I replied.

"Wouldn't expect it of you, farm boy. But at least I can see to it you get some legitimate gold."

"Are you offering to move in, Whisper? I thought you didn't like me."

"Don't get me wrong. I still think you're completely untrustworthy and a scoundrel to boot – but I want a place to live, and you've got a place I can stay. I'll pay weekly, if it's all the same to you."

"Sure thing. Just don't be a late payer – I deal harshly if you can't explain yourself well enough."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you get it."

So I retrieved the board, stashing it away inside in case anything 'happened' to Whisper, then went back to the Guild for another quest.


	4. Chapter 4

It was when I took the next quest at the Guild I learned the purpose of the platform just outside the Guild's walls – the Boasting platform. If I took a quest and boasted, all I had to do was keep to it to get better rewards and better known all at the same time.

There was a choice of two quests I could take – a few were in a place called Witchwood, inaccessible by sea, and since I hadn't gone there to activate the Cullis Gate I wasn't going to be taking on the Rock Trolls the quests talked about.

The remaining two both regarded Orchard Farm – one had been put up by the farmer asking for protection from bandits, while the other one was from the bandits looking for an extra hand to raid the farm.

Do I really need to tell you which one I chose? No? I didn't think so. I made the boast that I could do it without a single scratch. After all, I was a Hero – unless another Hero took up the other side of this, what was I going to face? A few farmers with pitchforks? Oooh, scary...

To get to Orchard Farm, I had to head south from Bowerstone and the Guild, into Greatwood. That place used to be nice and safe for passing traders. Emphasis on used to be. Still was at this time, but not for long.

People who pass through Greatwood are incredibly stupid. They know there are bandits hiding there at night, and frequently there are wasps or hobbes – or dwarf mummies, as I've always known them – during the day, all of which will attack the traders that don't seem to remember to bring any kind of guard.

I took advantage of this in the fullest – I'd just save them from their attackers, then wait until they held no suspicion of me and set them on fire. I might not like to use Will, but it has it's good points, and watching traders run around like screaming comets is one of them.

Most of them don't have anything decent on them but a bit of gold, but who doesn't need gold?

Naturally since I was attacking the farm, I didn't bother with the front entrance. I headed down to Greatwood Lake to go in the back way.

Two bandits met me there, along with a cart concealed in some bushes. They looked identical to the ones I'd seen so long ago back in Oakvale, but I put it down to coincidence. Bandits were bandits, and that was the end of it really.

They were looking to steal three crates. Like me, they'd just been hired to acquire them, and not given any details. I didn't have a problem with that. I'd just keep my ears open and see where they turned up, then if they were worth stealing, I'd take them then. Besides, I sort of needed the bandits alive – they were the ones paying me.

We waited until nightfall behind the barricade they'd built, then when the time came they had me lead the way down to the farm's barn. At first, it appeared there was no one around at all and we'd have a clear run there and back. Once we got out in the open though it was clear I was wrong – there were three guards armed with swords that had been waiting just out of sight. I set the furthest one on fire, disarmed the nearest with a swift upward stroke that sent the sword flying out of his hand and into the shoulder of the guard behind, then ran him through. The two bandits never even had to lift a finger, so both of them took a crate each and started getting it back up to a cart waiting near where we'd come in.

I waited at the end of the route, keeping my eyes peeled for any more activity. The farmhouse's windows were lit up now, and I could see the shadow of someone outlined behind the drapes. I stole a short dagger from one of the bodies and threw it at the figure in the window. I missed, but the light and the shadow both rapidly disappeared, realising it wasn't going to be a good idea to make a target of themselves.

As the bandits rejoined me to pick up the last crate, there were footsteps, then with a rush of wind, Whisper appeared nearby. Clearly she'd learned a few more Will techniques I hadn't.

"I should have known you were the one to take the other side of this quest, farm boy," she said.

"Grab the crate," I told the bandits, not taking my eyes off Whisper. "Leave her to me."

"Don't think you need the help?" she asked. "I'm not the pushover you think I am, Adam."

"Neither am I," I replied, then rushed her. I never once fought fairly with her. It kept her thinking.

If the Guildmaster had seen us at each other, he would have taken us both to task for ignoring just about everything we'd ever learned. Or that she had anyway. She was still using a spear, which makes for a poor weapon against me, at least while she still had it – I've carved up more than a few of her spears, and after I dealt with this one, she fled the scene, leaving a small brooch behind. Maybe it was worth something, who knows?

Since the bandits had already gone on ahead with the last crate, I wandered up to find them trying to get their cart out of it's concealment without making a noise.

"You weren't planning to leave without paying me, were you?" I asked ominously, leaning on my sword. "It'd be a very... bad idea to try and cross me, you know."

"Says who?" the bolder of the two sneered.

"Says me. Only reason no one's heard about the others who tried to cross me is because I didn't leave any survivors."

Always start rumours about yourself when building your own reputation – they can make you even more intimidating than you actually are. Especially when it comes to situations like this – they paid up without another objection, not only paying up, but paying me to conveniently forget the entire quest with some nice new armour. Metal armour might have been too much for me to handle at the time, but some leather armour worked fine. Not that it gave me all that much more protection, but better something than nothing. Anyway, it had been conveniently darkened, either to suit my ways or me.

With another quest done, I decided not to go back to the Guild just yet, and went to see a bit more of Greatwood. For starters, the bandits I'd worked with had been gossiping while we'd waited for nightfall, and mentioned a small encampment here. Since it was still late at night, I didn't expect any trouble.

Down in Greatwood Gorge though, they had other ideas, manning a toll gate. 400 gold isn't all that much when you consider how much I was making off Whisper in rent, but it goes against my principles – I never paid for anything if I had to. Besides, I made several times the toll price in loot when the entire camp tried to stop me, picking up an interesting little gem that was warm to the touch before I moved on to the local Cullis Gate to activate it.

There wasn't much else in the area, an old wooden house that would have fallen down if you'd sneezed at it and some caverns guarded by a rock troll – a massive creature that looks like a mass of animated and very angry mud, moss and rocks. I'd have taken it on, but a few massive stones it threw at me persuaded me to come back another time.

At least, that's what it thought. Once I was out of it's bad eyesight, I started shooting it with arrows until it figured out where I was, then it started raining boulders again. It had a poor aim though, and was also totally dense. All I had to do was lead it's aim up and away so it wouldn't notice me sneak back into view and attack it at close range to finish it off.

Aren't those things meant to be hard to beat or something? _I_ never had a problem...

A signpost behind where the troll had been pointed to two caves, one filled with Hobbes, and the other leading to Darkwood. Sounded like my kind of place already, and the later reputation it gained didn't do much to change that. People now often try to charter ships from Bowerstone to Oakvale to avoid it if they can.

I would have gone straight in, but since it was always going to be worth much more to me to do these things with a quest in hand, I went direct to the Guild, and what should I find but a quest card in Darkwood. Namely, a trader escort. Get them safely through the woods and out to... Barrow Fields.

Well, well. It looked like I was going home again. And if a couple of traders happened to go missing along the way... well, who'd miss them?


	5. Chapter 5

Darkwood is actually an extension of Greatwood, and in many places the woods just fade into the more sickly looking kind of dead life that plagues that area. Dead or dying, it's nearly always night-time in that region, and most people with sense try to avoid going through it.

Unfortunately for these two traders, they were in somewhat of a hurry, and so the only option for them was to hire a Hero to take them through the woods. If only they knew what was really going to happen to them...

One of the two traders was either afraid of everything, or had good sense. He was intimidated by me from the moment I met them just inside Darkwood, and even worried that I might have killed the Hero that had actually taken their quest card. He was silenced by his companion, then we started on in.

Darkwood, despite the name, is not actually all that interesting. Plenty of bandits and Hobbes, sometimes there's an odd light which actually turns out to be some kind of fairy thing, but mostly there isn't anything to worry about.

Just as we came into a more marshy area, we came upon a third trader who was worse for wear, sporting bloody clothes and several wounds that hadn't fully healed.

He insisted we take him along with us, but the terrified one objected.

At least until I said, "He's coming with us, and if you don't like it you're welcome to discuss it with me," emphasising the 'discussion' with my drawn sword. That ended that argument.

The third trader turned out to be useful, warning me away from strange pod like things on some of the dryer areas. He lobbed a stone at one and it exploded, throwing green blossoms into the air. A bandit that had been nearby breathed in some, then choked and died just moments later.

I solved the problem simply by throwing fireballs at them from a safe distance – the residual flames from the impact incinerated the blossoms before they could be of any effect, and anyone else stupid enough to stand near one usually caught the leading edge of the fiery explosions. Needless to say this quest was turning out far too easy. I was bored, and needed something to interest me.

There's a lake in Darkwood with a well-maintained door on one side of it. I persuaded the traders that it couldn't hurt to look, and that was how I found the Darkwood Bordello – a brothel, in case you have no idea what one is.

At the time it was run by a half-blind woman who called herself Madam Minzche, who wanted to get the place away from it's owner, the apparently cruel, sadistic and appropriately named Mr Grope.

I paid one of the prostitutes there to sleep with the idiot owner to see if she could weasel the location of the title deeds out of him. It turned out to be even easier than that – he mumbled it in his sleep. I paid the prostitute double her usual fee for that information and... had my own enjoyment with her afterwards. What the hell, its a brothel, and that's what guys go there for. Why not? Marriage sure as hell didn't seem attractive to me, so why not spread the fun around?

Anyway, I dug up the title deeds from behind a willow tree and showed them to Madam Minzche. She promptly accepted that I was the new owner, and I evicted Grope from my new property. As a rare sign of generosity, I lowered the owner's take on earnings to just a quarter of the fees any of them charged so they could actually have a decent lifestyle. Outside of the brothel, if they had one, that was.

The traders had all insisted on waiting for me near the doors, not wanting anything to do with the place once they'd learned what it was. At least it was safe here, so they could relax a bit. So with the Bordello now owned by me, I led the traders back out into the Darkwood's lake, and on into the camp just ahead where they met with some fellow traders.

Here too was safe, and two of the traders – the scaredy cat one and the injured one – took advantage of this second respite to indulge some trading. I paused too, examining some of the wares though nothing was on the same level as my current equipment. Not worth my time.

I overheard some of them talking about a strange temple not far away, and decided to investigate, taking some of the few guards and another couple of curious traders with me.

It turned out that the 'strange temple' was in fact a chapel to the god Skorm, who may or may not exist. I had a little discussion with the two attendants in the chapel, then invited the rest of my entourage in, where they promptly got sacrificed. I was given Skorm's Bow as thanks by the attendants, and I felt just a bit stronger than I had when I went in before. This was a place I was going to have to visit again... with more company.

When I got back, the remaining guards and traders were curious, of course. I told them simply that they'd gone investigating, and that the trader who'd accompanied us this far wanted the others to go on without him. So we were one trader down when we left the camp.

We passed an ancient and decrepit Cullis Gate, which didn't work. I was hardly surprised given the damage done to it, but I did wonder who had left it here in Darkwood. In searching it though, I made a curious discovery – a small diamond, cleanly cut with a red core in it. I recognised this – back when I'd gone against Link, he'd used it on me a few times, holding it aloft to surround himself in fire. I had no idea what it was doing here, but it could turn out to be useful if it still did the same thing.

I wasn't going to test it here though, so pocketed it and we continued on. Or tried to. The injured trader made some complaints, then groans, and then became some kind of big wolf beast that the remaining trader called a Balverine. I told him to get clear, then tested this gem of Link's.

The Balverine was hurled against a tree by the fire that erupted from the gem, at least until the tree caught fire and turned to ash along with most of the rest of the nearby flammable dead woods. It cleared a sizeable area around me actually, leaving what couldn't be burnt scorched black. The trader had only just managed to get clear, with the edge of the destructive force ending up not far from him.

It had the wanted effect, killing the Balverine, which turned back into a human body. Which naturally I picked over. Some of the less interesting loot I passed on to the remaining trader for him to sell.

Another rock troll surfaced not long after that, but I made use of the gemstone again to set the burnable parts alight, then while it was distracted trying to put itself out, I moved in to finish the ugly brute off.

Then at last we reached Barrow Fields. I was given my reward and payment for getting at least this one trader there safely. I did some brisk business with the traders there, selling a few things I'd picked up along with the crossbow I'd bought. This Skorm's Bow was a standard pull back the string kind of bow, but far more ornate.

While I'd been trading, I listened to the gossip. Talk was about the Grey House just behind the fields, saying dead spirits had been seen there. I'm not the kind to scare at that sort of thing, so took a look.

The house and surrounds look like they're actually in Darkwood, but it's lacking in anything dark. The 'dead spirits' turned out to be just a bunch of skeletons, easily shattered.

Since there wasn't even any decent loot to be had here, I headed back into Barrow Fields, and on into Oakvale. It hadn't changed much, though it had been rebuilt. The Cullis Gate near the entrance was activated as soon as I passed near, so I explored the town, recalling what it had been like so long ago before.

I found my childhood home, empty and up for rent. Naturally, I bought it and set it up as my own home. I made a trip back to Bowerstone to set up the home I'd kept for myself there for rent, then scribbled a note to Whisper telling her she could pay her rent to me in Oakvale now. I wasn't going to have her paying the rent to another tenant.

I added a note to my rent sign telling others they could find me in Oakvale, and that if they weren't willing to make the trip to lodge a message at the Hero's Guild for me. I probably should have asked the Guildmaster before turning him into my personal mailbox, but I didn't really care.

When I headed back to Oakvale, I spotted a familiar and unwelcome figure outside the inn. The same unwelcome figure that had robbed me of my revenge the last time I'd been here.

"I see you finally found your way back home," he said to me when I joined him. "I'm hardly surprised. It seems fate is with you."

"What do you mean?"

"I decided to stop by and let you know what I've found out. It seems the bandit encampment just up the clifftop path have a king that's reigned for some time. It's possible he could be the one that caused the original raid on Oakvale on that night."

"Excellent. You've made up for stealing my revenge from me."

"Hold on a moment there, Adam. That's not all. Rumour has it this King Twinblade has a seeress with him – perhaps she can give you word of your sister."

"What makes you think I care about her – and just how do you know about her, anyway?"

"I know a great deal that you don't, Adam. Don't overlook the opportunity."

I grunted, then almost turned away, but I had a sudden idea.

"I imagine you had to work fairly hard to find this out," I said.

"There was some extensive work involved, yes... why do you ask?"

"Oh, I was just thinking... maybe you could use a break. I hear there's a place not far from the camp in Darkwood that's fairly good, for a small price. Maybe you should stop by."

I left Maze considering that. Plenty of other people nearby had heard it too, which meant I might have just given myself some nice business – more business meant more profit.

There wasn't much more of interest to me in Oakvale, so I headed down the beach toward the cave that lead to the clifftop path toward the bandit's encampment.

Along the beach, I noticed an unusual red ship with a lion's head on it. It looked in bad shape, but that wasn't what caught my eye. There was a metal hook just visible underneath it. Shoving the ship aside revealed a boomerang and a grappling hook. Someone's losses were my gains today. First the fire gem, and now these... what else would I come across in my travels?


End file.
